The Lovely Ranch Girl
by AirshipHead
Summary: Link is in bad shape after fighting the terrible Barinade and tries his best to reach Lon Lon Ranch before his own end. What will happen? Oneshot LinkxMalon LxM Link x Malon MaLink Rated T


_**The lovely ranch girl**_

_Link is sixteen in this, even though he hadn't obtained the master sword yet. I just find it easier to have him one age. It's not like a fan fiction has to follow the canon is it?_

"Must...reach...Lon Lon Ranch" Link gasped as he limped over the huge Hyrule Field. His fairy Navi was sat inside his cap, silently willing him on. Link was absolutely covered in scratches, bruises and electric burns. He was coated in fish stomach juices and his limbs felt like they didn't belong to him due to the muscles being shocked so much. His first priority was seeing Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle but as he reached the exit to Zora's River, the adrenaline rush stopped and he collapsed in pain with his multiple injuries. It was an overall longer trek to Hyrule Castle, so he decided to go to the one place he really felt safe, Lon Lon Ranch. He knew exactly why, the last time he emerged from Dodongo's Cavern, feeling like a overly cooked piece of beef, he struggled towards Lon Lon Ranch, because of her. Malon. Her beautiful voice along with her infectious smile made Link happy no matter what pain he was in. Not to mention, her skills at patching people up were on par with most doctors, probably part and parcel of being a child without a mother.

Every step slowly became more and more of an effort. The entrance to the ranch slowly became closer and closer, but he just didn't have the energy. God he wished he kept a fairy from a fairy fountain. That would solve his problem, but he had never been the smartest branch on the tree. He could have visited the Great Fairy in Zora's Fountain, but all the confusion with a Zora princess wanting to marry him and the excitement at the fact he finally held all three spiritual stones had wiped all rational thought from his head.

Link gasped in pain and keeled over, looking at the quickly darkening sky. Damn that Barinade, why were those Jellyfish as sharp as blades, why did it have such a huge supply of electricity? Link couldn't believe his luck as he dealt the final blow, and saw the monstrosity explode in a shower of green blood. Unfortunately for him, that luck finally seemed to run out. His blood was seeping through multiple flesh wounds and he felt his eyelids flutter. Link cursed himself for not realising the severity of his own injuries and for shrugging off Navi's concerned words that he should rest. Now he felt the end slowly coming, what a fitting end for such a stupid boy. There would be no-one left to stop Ganon, Hyrule would be doomed, and their only hope would slowly rot on Hyrule Field, alone apart from his fairy. A single tear fell down Link's face as he closed his eyes and his body went completely limp.

Link opened his eyes to a familiar looking room. Strange... he expected to be floating on a cloud... He found himself in the bed that was set up for him the last time he stayed on Lon Lon Ranch in Malon's bedroom. He tried to sit up and the pain from all of his wounds returned. He looked under the covers and found out he was only in his underwear, with bandages covering his stomach, arms and legs. His hat, tunic and boots were hanging on the wardrobe. Link looked up and thanked Farore for the miracle he was alive.

All of a sudden, the bedroom door opened and Malon came in, carrying some bottles of medicine, followed by Navi. Malon's usually calm blue eyes looked extremely worried and her hair, usually brushed to perfection, was quite untidy. She was dressed in a nightgown with no shoes, which made Link think it was either evening or early morning. Navi's tiny face also looked creased with worry. They both looked over at the bed and gasped, with Malon dropping the tray. Both of them ran at the bed, with Malon embracing Link, Navi simply floating ecstatically by his head. While he was in heaven with the petite red headed girl so close, hugging him with all her strength, the wounds started to hurt some more, and he gasped in pain and with the realisation he was in his underwear. He wrestled himself out of her grasp and pulled the covers over himself.

Malon blushed with realisation.

"I'm sorry Link, it's just I've been so worried, you've been out for 5 days!" Malon cried as she stood up.

"Really, has it been 5 days?"Link asked incredulously.

"Yes, and the two of us were extremely worried, we thought you were dead!" she cried, almost accusingly.

This made Link feel really guilty, so he tried talking about something else.

"So it was you who patched me up?" Link asked.

"Yes, Navi flew over here and warned me and dad that you were out here so If it wasn't for her, I doubt you would have survived!" She said with tears flooding down her cheeks.

"Well, I'm sorry OK? I underestimated my injuries, and pushed myself too hard" Link replied calmly

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET SUCH BAD INJURIES ANYWAY?" Malon now bellowed at the top of her voice. Upon hearing this, Navi slowly floated out of the bedroom, they needed to sort this out between themselves.

"I was on a quest!"

"WHAT QUEST? YOU NEVER TELL ME ANYTHING, YOU ALWAYS COME BACK HERE LOOKING LIKE YOU GOT RAN OVER BY A ROLLING GORON AND EXPECT ME TO JUST PATCH YOU UP WITHOUT ANSWERS!"

The tears were really flowing now, and Link just realised how badly he hurt poor Malon, he basically took her for granted, expecting her to just stay and help him, but now he realised he couldn't do that, he had to trust her. He had to tell her what happened.

"Listen Malon" Link said quietly "You're totally right, I've been a fool and taken you for granted, that's going to stop now. I'm going to tell you everything"

She calmed down a bit after hearing that and sat on the bed, extremely interested.

Link filled her in, from the moment he woke up and met Navi, his run in with Gohma in the Deku Tree, realising his quest, meeting her in castle town, sneaking round the guards to see the princess. Learning Zelda's Lullaby, learning Epona's song, his run in with Saria in the sacred forest meadow, the trek up death mountain, Dodongo's cavern, fighting King Dodongo, the immense injuries before she patched him up before. Meeting the Zora's, Jabu Jabu's belly, the immensely tough fight with Barinade (he sneakily left out the part about Ruto wanting to be his wife) and finally, the impossible trek to the ranch where he passed out. During all this, Malon's eyes were wide open and she listened to his every word

When he finished Link took a deep breath and waited for Malon's reaction.

"So all this is what happened" she finally said.

"Yes, all of it's true" Link said

"I would find it a little hard to believe, but those injuries speak for themselves, and I saw the jewels in your bag when I was hanging your stuff up" she blushed a little at the last words.

"Now can you see why I need your help?" Link said

"Yes, I'm sorry Link, it's just your my only friend apart from the animals and I get so worried about you" Malon said, half ashamed.

Her eyes widened and her cheeks reddened as Link wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his bare chest.

"I'm sorry too for keeping you in the dark" Link said softly

"Just hold me and it will be OK" Malon said.

_It's very one shot like isn't it? Well it isn't. There is more to this than meets the eye, there will be more chapters. I hope you enjoyed it and please review :D_


End file.
